Apparatus for making hydrogen



Jan. 6, 1942. A; R, STRYKER 2,268,910

APPARATUS FOR MAKING HYDROGEN original Filed oct. 1s, 1937 I. 'INVENTOR wafer l e fem/5e BYE;

ATTO

Patented Jan. c, 1942 of one-fourth to Chester Tietig, Covington,.

Original application'October 18, 1937 Serial No.

169,662. Divided and thisapplication ber 13, 1939, Serial No. 303,964

Novems Claims.' (C1. 234-212) This application jis a'division of my co-pending application Serial No. 169,662, filed October 18, 1937, which has matured into Patent #2,200,- 607, May 14, 1940, for a method and apparatus for making pure hydrogen.

This invention relates to an apparatus for making hydrogen of exceptional'purity. The object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which is exceptionally suited for carrying out the process described in the'application above referred to. Other objects are to provide an apparatus of this kind which is semi-automatic in operation and from which an exceptionally pure grade of hydrogen, pure enough for the hydrogenation of oil, can be bled off continuously.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an apparatus which can be easily and thoroughly purged of air before making hydrogen and which can -be built by the comparatively slight alteration of common forms of apfparatus to provide a convenient automatic generator of this class which is capable of withstanding considerable internal pressures.

For assistance in understanding the invention, the process to be carried out in the apparatus is also here described.

Briefly stated, my process comprises forcing a` crackable aliphatic hydro-carbon for example, methane, ethane, propane, butane or high grade natural gas through a primary cracking zone of heated checkerbrick then through a deep4 bed of solid carbonaceous fuel maintained at' least partially at incandescence and withdrawing' the cracked gas from the lower end of the fuel bed, and then recycling the free hydrogen-rich gas thus obtained again through the checker work and the fuel bed until the desired 'degree of purity has been obtained. The product may then be stored while another `cycle is run or the entire yield may be recycled. It is, of course, necessary to reheat the checker work and the fuel bed at intervals by blasting with air and the apparatus must be purged of air after such -blowing, so as to avoid nitrogen compounds and CO in the hydrogen, which are objectionable.

Referring to the drawing, the ligure is an elevation of the apparatus partly in longitudinal section.-

I is a generator, refractory lined, having a conical bottom II, a grate I2, a bottom discharge I3 and a side charging chute I4. Suitable clinkrering doors I5 are provided. A bed of fuel I6 preferably of coke, is carried within the retort and should be of at least four feet in depth, but 'a depth of about ten feet'is preferable.- There is no upper limit as to depth. Extending vertically above the generator there is a dome I1, the interior of which i-s refractory lined and communicates with the interior of the'generator.v The lower part of the dome, say from onethird to one half of its height, is lled with re-` fractory brick checkwork, I, which comprises about 50% of voids.

- At the top of dome I1, there is a pipe I9 for the admission of the hydro-carbon to -be cracked. The process and apparatus will be described as for handling butane, but any skilled chemical engineer in possession of this disclosure can regulate conditions to use the others named; or

even commercial gasoline, kerosene, gas oil or distillate, pipe I9 therefore handles liquid butane which may be shut off in the pipe or allowed to iiow by the action of a snap valve 20 controlled by a diaphragm-2l, which isin turn controlled by a pressure existing within a dome I1, but which `is so communicated to the diaphragm through aL small pipe 22. Air is supplied to the `Vgenerator by means of a horizontal pipe 24 in burned to the dioxide with the tertiary air. Pipe 29 is therefore arranged to enter just below the checker-work to deliver secondary air and pipe 30 just above the checkerwork to deliver the tertiary air. Pipe 29 contains shut oi valve l3l and pipe 30 contains a'shut off valve 32 and a butterfly valve 33 just behind it. Steam may be supplied topipe 29 through a pipe 34 which enters riser pipe 28 opposite pipe 29. In pipe 29 there is a butterfly valve 55 in addition to a shut olf' valve. f e

'I'he exit of waste gases from the dome I1 may occur through a flue pipe or' stack 35 in `which there is a shut olf valve 36, or gases may be recycled from the conical bottom II to the dome llthrough second riser pipe 31 in which there is a shut oil' valve 38 in the lower portion near-the generator, an exhauster 39 and. a shut 01T valve III) and butterfly valve 4I near the dome. A convenient arrangement for the entire apparatus is to have the operating oor of the building at the approximate level of the top of the conical portion of the generator and below the grate therein. Such floor, 42, in the drawing will be adapted to support the blower 23 and exhauster 39 at a convenient height.

At a point above exhauster 39 a delivery pipe 43 containing a shut off valve 44 and a butterfly valve 45 taps riser pipe 31 and leads to below the liquid level 46 of wash box 41 which rests upon the operating floor. This box has an outlet pipe 45 in which there is a shut off valve 49.

For purging the apparatus there is a bottom inlet pipe 50 having a shut off valve 5l which enters riser pipe 31 between valve 38 and the generator. A test flame 52 is provided in the pipe 31 between the exhauster and the pipe 43. By means of this flame or analyzing apparatus, the kind and approximate purity of hydrogen gas may be estimated by qualified engineers. Or, this purity may be followed by continuously weighing a container of known weight and volume through which the gas continuously ows.

The cycle of operations is as follows:

The generator having been lled with maintenance fuel (i. e., that fuel which is charged into the generator for kthe purpose of providing a bed of hot carbon) and valves 25, 26 and 36 being open and all the rest closed, the fuel is ignited and blown with air from the blower 23 until the fuel ibed is at approximate incandescence. Valve 3| is opened and secondary air admitted through pipe 29 to allow producer gas to burn and heat the checker work.y Tertiary air is admitted also through pipe 30 by opening valves 32 and 33. The amounts of secondary and tertiary air are regulated bymeans of butterfly 33 and no more is admitted than is necessary to burn the carbon monoxide below and Vabove the checkerwork, to carbon dioxide. Both air inlets are so arranged that, the stream of air is directed substantially tangentially yto the shell of the generator.

After incandescence to the extent of about 2600 F. has been attained in the fuel bed and the checker brick in the ldome has attained about 2000c F., the operation of purging may then begin.

Blower 23 is then shut down and valves 25, 3l and 32 are closed. y Sufficient steam is now admitted through pipe 21 to purge air from the base below the grate only. Butane gas is then admitted through pipe 53 so as to crack to hydrogen within the fuel'bed, and this hydrogen rises and purges all blast products through the open stack 35.4 After pure hydrogen only is passing up stack 35 as indicated by the test flame 23, stack valve 36 is closed and liquid butane is` allowed to iiow into pipe 19. Valves 38 and 40 are now opened simultaneously, butterfly 4I being partly open. .Exhauster 39 is started which recycles hydro-carbon purge vgas to the top of the dome to be adjusted on passage through the hlot checkerwork. Valve 44 is then opened and buttery 45 cracked to allow hydrogen to pass into the wash box 41, the butterfly valve 45 in pipe 43 being used to control the pressure in the retort. It is set to exceed the back pressure of the wash box. Due to the fact that there is a thermal expansion of the butane gas after it is fed in, and later undergoes secondary expansion due to the swell in volume caused by cracking, it is desirable that the vapparatus be built to be able yto withstand high pressure. A predetermined amount of butane is admitted per cycle to reach the maximum pressure desired, to accommodate the expansion in volume described. The setting of butterfly 45 should be high enough to hold CII this pressure. The setting of butterflies 45 and 4l are controlled in accordance with the indications of the test flame 52 or suitable mechanical or chemical testing devices. If this shows that pure hydrogen is not being produced the butteries are opened further to recycle more gas. Fluid hydro-carbon material is now admitted through the top of the dome in quantities governed by the diaphragm regulator 2| which a1- lows sucient liquid butane to enter the retort to replace the butane lost by the exit of hydrogen from the previous cycle through pipe 48 to a gas holder (not shown).

Operation is now continued until the drop in the temperature. of the fuel bed requires excessive recycling through the pipe 31 by reason of the fuel bed not being hot enough to crack the hydrocarbon completely to occur. When this condition occurs the butane supply is shut off by a valve 54 and valves 40 and 38 are closed. Eixhauster 39 is shut down. Purging steam is admitted through pipe 21 sufcient to purge only the hydrogen from below the grate. Blower 23 is now operated, then stack valve 36 and likewise butterfly 26 and secondary and tertiary air admitted by means of valves 3| and 32 as desired'.V When this blasting or reheating step is complete, the hydrogen-making cycle is again restarted. Very little maintenance fuel will be required because almost all of the fuel consumed in the process will-be carbon which has been deposited in the interstices of the fuel bed by the cracking of the butane.

I claim as my invention:

l. An apparatus for producing pure hydrogen comprising a generator adapted to contain a deep bed of incandescent fuel, a, dome above said generator, means for supplying air and steam to said generator, means for supplying hydrocarbons to said dome to a pointadjacent the upper lpart of said checke'rwork, means for voiding purged gases from said generator and piping from the lower portion of said generator directly to the upper part ofl said dome adapted to recycle said gas after passage through said fuel bed directly to said dome, an exhauster connected in said piping to so move said ga's and an exit pipe connected to said recycling piping for voiding hydrogen.

2. An apparatus for making pure hydrogen which comprises a generator, a grate in the lower portion thereof, a dome above said generator and connection interiorly therewith, brick checkerwork in said dome, a blower and piping adapted to deliver air selectively below said grate, just below said checkerwo'rk and just above said checkerwork, a vent pipe at the top of said dome, a pipe adapted to deliver hydrocarbon to be cracked to the top of said dome, means for admitting steam at the bottom of the generator and just below the checkerwork, means for admitting purging gas at the bottom of said generator, means including piping and an exhauster for recycling gas from the bottom of the generator to substantially the top of the dome and means .for voiding gas during the recycling operation.

3. An apparatus for producing pure hydrogen comprisingv a'generator adapted to contain a deep bed of incandescent fuel, a dome above said generator, refractory checkerwork in said dome, means for supplying primary and secondary air selectively to said generator and secondary and tertiary air selectively to said dome, a vent pipe at the top of said dome, a pipe adapted -to deliver liquid hydrocarbon to be cracked, to the top of said dome, a pressure responsive valve in said pipe, a pressure transmitting pipe connect= level within said dome, means for admitting steam at the bottom of said generator and also just below said dome, means for admitting purging gas at the bottom of said generator, gas-recycling means includingpiping and an exhauster, an outlet pipe and a wash box for voiding gas during the recycling operation and means for blasting the said fuel bed with air.

ALBERT R. STRYKE'R 

